Little Explorers Barrow

Inspection of Little Explorers Barrow Lodge Close, Barrow, Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 9BQ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is good

Children have an excellent start to their education. They are happy, settled and well nurtured by the caring staff team. Children of all ages develop the confidence to explore and learn from the base of strong bonds with staff. Babies enjoy exploring books, as they learn to identify animals such as mice and bees. Toddlers begin to learn about science as they observe insect models. Older children impressively create their own assault courses. They beam with pride when they adeptly scale A-frames and raised tyres independently.

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The provision is good

Children develop well, both personally and emotionally. Leaders place value on developing a curriculum to support good physical and mental health. For example, children engage in 'Feel Fit Thursdays' to learn about how to look after their oral health. Daily opportunities to engage in activities, such as peer massage, help children to develop empathy and social skills. This supports children to demonstrate positive behaviours and attitudes in all they do. The support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strength of the setting. Leaders and staff get to know all children and their families superbly. They identify any delays in development and swiftly work in partnership with external agencies to access advice and provide children with the funding, support and specialist equipment they need. Individual teaching and learning plans are reviewed regularly to ensure children make rapid progress.

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need to do better?

n The nursery is well led and managed. Leaders foster a sense of belonging and keep children at the heart of all they do. The enticing environment is carefully planned by staff to stimulate children's play and learning. The nursery is a hive of activity. Children can be heard talking and playing together with enjoyment and pleasure. n Leaders create a well-sequenced curriculum, which enables children to build up their knowledge and skills securely over time. Staff understand what children need to learn. Experiences are well matched to children's stage of development and their fascinations. For example, toddlers become engrossed in their play with balls and guttering, and older children paint pictures with purpose. Children make good progress in all areas of learning. n Care practices fully support children's good physical and emotional development. Staff who look after babies follow individual infant feeding guidelines precisely.

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need to do better?

Staff are knowledgeable about safe sleep. At mealtimes, babies identify their own cups by looking at their photos. Older children collect their food and tidy away after themselves. Children learn to become self-confident and independent. n Children develop a love of literacy. Babies know how to turn a book's pages and

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need to do better?

28 April 2023 listen intently to staff as they talk about the pictures. Staff regularly share books that interest toddlers, helping them to develop an understanding of many words. Pre-school children confidently tell adults their 'helicopter stories'. These are written down, and children enjoy acting them out. Children are very well prepared for their future education. n Leaders and staff forge good working relationships with external professionals to support children with SEND. This enables the effective sharing of information, to secure appropriate advice and support. As such, children access the challenging curriculum, and gaps in children's development are closed. n Relationships with parents and/or carers are strong. Parents appreciate and welcome the information shared with them, such as health advice and local activities. They feel well informed about their child's progress. For example, staff

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need to do better?

provide daily verbal communication and post photos on the online platform to share children's achievements. Parents are very complimentary about the service they receive. n Leaders provide staff with ongoing training and coaching, which helps them to continuously improve their professional skills and knowledge. For example, leaders regularly observe practitioners and provide feedback on their performance in relation to children's learning. This means that interactions are strong and are, on occasion, of the highest quality. However, staff are not enabled to share best practice with their colleagues, to help them all develop their teaching to the highest levels. n Children benefit from a range of experiences that support the development of their values, knowledge and skills. Music sessions and learning about artists promote children's creative development. Balance-ability sessions for older children enable them to become skilled in riding a balance bike. However,

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need to do better?

children are not taught more about communities beyond their own. This means that children do not fully learn about the diverse world in which they live.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff demonstrate that they fully understand their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children. Staff have accessed training to improve their knowledge of child protection. As such, all staff know the signs and symptoms that may mean a child is vulnerable to abuse. Staff meetings enable discussions in relation to the safeguarding policy and procedure. Safe sleep and infant feeding guidelines are adhered to. The premises is kept clean and tidy. Risk assessments are conducted to ensure that any risks to children are minimised. Recruitment procedures are robust to ensure all adults working with children are suitable to do so. Children are kept safe.

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should:

28 April 2023 n share best practice to raise teaching to a consistently high quality n develop children's awareness of communities beyond their own.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY556055 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 10286580 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 111 Number of children on roll 168 Name of registered person Little Explorers Barrow Llp

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reference number

Telephone number 01254 823276 Date of previous inspection 11 February 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Little Explorers Barrow registered in 2018. It operates Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round, except for bank holidays. The nursery employs 23 members of childcare staff. Of these, 17 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above, including the manager, who holds early years professional status, and an early years teacher, who holds qualified teacher status. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual about the leadership and management of the setting. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a physical development activity

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Inspection activities

with the deputy manager. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

28 April 2023 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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